Entrance bee-feeder.



P. DANZBNBAKER.

ENTRANCE BEE FEEDER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 25, 1912.

1,056,266. Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

WITNESSES INVENTOR M KQMLM UU FRANCIS DANZENBAKER, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

ENTRANCE BEE-FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 18, 1913.

Application filed May 25, 1912. Serial No. 699,713.

such access of the bees to the syrup as will avoid the bees being crowded into the syrup while feeding, and to this end my invention consists in the entrance feeder constructed substantially as hereinafter specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of a bee feeder embodying my invention; Fig. 2 a longitudinal section showing the same in position in the hive; Fig. 3 a cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4- is a perspective view of a different construction of feeder; and Fig. 5 is a cross section thereof.

My feeder is of the type in which a jar 10 of syrup is inverted in a box-like stand or base 11, the stand or base having at one end a circular hole, or well 19., to receive the open end of the jar.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 3, at one side of thewell there are numerous parallel channels 18 formed by equidistant vertical ribs or ridges 14 that extend from the well outward therefrom toward the opposite end of the base where they and the channels terminate by a gentle inclination upward. The ridges or ribs reduced in height extend a short distance into the well so as to support the edge of the mouth of the inverted jar sufliciently above the bottom of the well to permit the outflow from the jar of syrup into the numerous channels. The syrup, of course, cuts off the flow from the jar when a level outside the jar is reached, that will seal the inverted mouth of the jar according to a well understood principle.

Referring now to Figs. 4. and 5, I show a form of my invention in the construction of which sheet metal is used, which results in cheapening the cost of manufacture, as well as greatly lessening its weight so that an important saving in postage, for mailing,

is secured. In this case, the box-like base 110 is made of sheet metal, such as tin, and it can be stamped out of a single piece, and the ribs or ridges 140 are formed of a corrugated sheet, the corrugations being V- shaped, and the sides being preferably perforated. I prefer to use galvanized wire cloth or screen to form the ribs or ridges, as the bees can feed through the perforations and keep above the syrup. The bottle receiving hole 120 is formed of sheet metal, such as tin, and if desired a lip or flange 121 may be turned up at the inner end to form a stop to engage the front of the hive. A number of small rods or wires 122 are placed in the bottom of the pan, and in position to support the jar mouth above the bottom to permit the liquid to flow out therefrom. here the bottle receiving well or hole is to receive a jar of odd size, or smaller diameter, a card or sheet, 18 having the hole 180 of proper size may be laid over the hole provided in the feeder.

The upper surface of the ribs are a beespace below the level of the tops of the sides and end of the base outside the well, so that when the feeder is in position in the hive 15 a beespace will exist therein below the bottom bars 16 of the brood frames, and thus afford free access of bees to the syrup. By the employment of the numerous parallel ribs or ridges forming narrow channels, a great number of bees at a time have access to the syrup, and without any danger of such crowding as sometimes causes them to fall into the syrup, and the result is, that the feeding proceeds very rapidly, it being possible, for example, for a good colony of bees to empty a two quart jar in a few hours. The jar 10 may be an ordinary glass preserving jar, such as the well known Mason jar, and all that is necessary to do is to place the stand or base 11 over the open mouth of the jar and then to invert the latter. No cap of any sort is necessary for the jar.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is- 1. A bee feeder comprising a base having a jar-receiving well, and a series of grooves or channels in communication with said well and leading outward therefrom and means for supporting the iar mouth above the well bottom.

2. A bee feeder comprising a base having a jar-receiving well, and a series of grooves or channels in communication with said Well and leading outward therefrom, said grooves being formed by ribs Whose upper edges are below the sides of the base and projections above the bottom of the Well to support the jar mouth above said bottom.

A bee feeder comprising a base having a jar-receiving Well and a series of grooves or channels in communication With said Well and leading outward therefrom, said grooves or channels being formed by a corrugated sheet.

i A bee feeder comprising a base having a jar-receiving Well, and a series of grooves or channels in communication with said Well and leading outward therefrom, said grooves or channels being formed by a corrugated sheet, and small rods on the bottom 01" the Well.

5. A bee tteeder comprising a base having eas es a jar-receiving "Well, and a series of grooves or channels in communication With said Well and leading outward therefrom, said grooves or channels being formed by a perforated corrugated metal sheet.

6. A bee feeder comprising a base having a jar-receiving Well, said base being a sheet metal pan and the well top being of sheet metal, and a series of grooves or channels in communication with said Well and lead ing outward therefrom, said grooves or channels being formed by a perforated cor rugated metal sheet.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANCIS DANZENBAKER. l l itnesses G. T. ELLIOTT, lvi'nUALuUs LAN K rono.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

